Helve guard



9 M w. WW a 5 m 1 v 6 M? x a Y C. ORTLIEB 5mm: GUARD Filed on. 26. 192:

Fatented Oct. 27, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ORT'LIEB, 0F LITTLE FALLS, NEW YORK.

HELVE GUARD.

Application filed October 26, 1923. Serial No. 670,940.

Guards, of which the following is a speci ficatioin This invention has reference to a helveguard for tool handles and has for its prlncipal object to provide a guard attachable to the handle of an axe adjacent the eye of the blade to prevent the splitting or chipping of the handle.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a helve-guard which can be readily applied to the handle with or without moving the blade from the latter, the said guard being formed of sheet metal and being provided with a clamping band embracing the handle to retain the guard in place.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following disclosure. 9

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an axe illustrating the application of the helve-guard thereto,

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the tool, disclosing the manner of connecting the ends of the clamping band, and

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along 33 of Figure 1.

This helve-guard may be constructed of sheet metal or any other desired material and consists of a flat elongatedplate 1O having a rounded end 11 and a tapering end 12. This plate is curved transversely of its entire length so as to snugly fit against the underside of handle 13 of the tool, being applied to the latter adjacent the blade 14 so that the tapering end 12 enters the eye of the blade and becomes wedged between the blade and the handle.

It will thus be seen that the plate not only protects the under side of the handle from becoming chipped or worn during use of the axe but also serves to firmly unite the handle with the blade. At the end 11, the plate or guard is provided with spaced longitudinally extending slots 15 and 16 thru which is inserted a flexible metallic strip17, the same passing between the helve or handle and the plate 10 with its side portions 18 and 19 extending upwardly around opposite sides of the handle and being engaged on the top of the latter by a retaining plate or keeper 20. 'Keeper 20 consists of a small plate arched to snugly fit over the handle 13 and being provided with a central 1ongitudinally extending slot 21" thru which passes the terminals of arms 18 and 19 of the clamping strip. These terminal ends are clinched to the retaining plate by being bent downwardly thereagainst, as shown in Figure 3. The fastening strip and keeper when thus combined constitute a clamping band firmly embracing the handle of the tool and locking the guard plate 10 thereto. As will be obvious, however, the removal of the guard can be readily effected by disengaging transversely to conform to the contour of the handle and being of such width as to cover both the bottom and the sides ofthe handle for an appreciable extent when applied to the underside thereof, the forward edge of the said elongated plate being tapered for forced insertion between the tool-end of the said handle and the tool car ried thereby, a relatively small plate arched transversely to fit the upper edge of the said handle and being normally disposed above the rear end of the said elongated plate, and a connecting strap of flexible sheet metal carried by the said elongated plate, and extending upwardlyaround opposite sides of the handle with its free ends connected to the said small plate. 7

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' CHARLES ORTLIEB. 

